St. Paul daily globe., 1887-10-23
FOR THE CARE OF ORPHANS
Dedication Of the New German Catholic
Orphan Asylum To-Day.
A NOBLE WORK OF CHARITY.
History of an Institution That Has Been
Enlarged for Greater
Usefulness.


asylum will be dedicated this afternoon
at o'clock. Rt. Rev. Bishop Grace
will officiate, assisted by Revs. Byrne
and Edwards. The directors of the
Catholic orphan asylum of this city and
also of Minneapolis will be present.
The new addition to the asylum was
begun last May, Frank w. Rowan being
the contractor and MeSsrs. Bergman IL
Fischer the architects. The building is
plain but handsome structure, stand
ing on Ninth street, between Exchange
and Fort streets. 1t is of brick, trimmed
with red stone, and is fifty feet in width
by $50 feet in depth. The old building
was erected and opened for the recep-
ton of orphans in the tall of 1880. Be-
fore that time the sisters had rented
house on Ninth street, near Franklin.
The beginning of the movement to
take care of the German orphans
of st. Paul was i'll 1876, when Father
Valentine >Stimmler, prior of the Church
of the Assumption, with a zeal and de-
votiOn inspired by Catholic charity,
beds, furniture, kitchen utensils and
pecuniary means of the good people of
the city to aid him in taking care of five
little orphans, whom, in the course of
his parOchial duties, he found under
conditions to claim his care. Bishop
Grace lent his hearty encouragement.
Then Father Stimmler went down to
Shakopee where was situated the mother
house of
THE BENEDICTINE SISTERS,
and invoked their aid for the orphans.
Few arguments or perSuaSiOnS were
necessary A little band of volunteers,
hnn InI L. T,+l ,1% "A
SiSting of Sisters Placida, AntOnia,
their services, came to st. Paul, and
took possession of tie quarters that
Father Stimmler had hired for
them Oh Ninth street near
Robert. Since then these good
sisters have remained, continuing their
noble mission of looking after the Ger
man orphans of st. Paul. The sisters
themselves do all the work of the inSti-
tuition, hOuSework, cooking, washing,
ETC., with such assistance as their
young charges may give while they are
being taught household work. There
are now in the asylum fifty-seven boys
and girls, though, with the addition, the
| Institution is capable of holding double
that number. They range in age from
one to eighteen years. Every day, for
| those whose ages admit of schooling,
the orphans attend the sessions of the
adjoining parochial school of the AS
sumption church. As they grow up to
| thirteen years of age or thereabOutS,
| they are placed with responsible per
| sons in st. Paul to learn various trades,
always, however, returning home to the
asylum for the night. Their trades
learned, they are quartered with
| Catholic families in different
parts of the state. They are often
adopted by such families and in time
become part and parcel of the adopted
household. The asylum and grounds
on which it stands cost about $1,000.
! Its support is derived wholly from the
volunteer contributions of the char
itably-minded,a land not dollar of money
from the state. county or city has ever
been advanced towards it. Foremost in
| the work is Mother Benedict herself.
| To this work she
HAS DEVOTED HER LIFE.
Father Edwards is their able and tire.
less champion, and the st. Joseph's
orphan board of the congregation of the
Assumption church is their friend and
powerful patron. Besides, Rt. Rev
Bishop Ireland, who is president of tile
institution, and Father Edwards, first
vice president, the affairs of the asylum
are managed by George Mitsch, second
vice president; John I'll. Boyer, secre.
tary; j. p. Dreis, treasurer; and the
following board of directors: George
MitSch, Nicholas Hardy, Jacob Hoff.
man, Charles Friend. Matthias Koch, B
| SchweiZer, and Peter Kerst.